Adventure Magazine

The scale of the never-ending white landscape is mind-blowing. Endless horizons of snow and ice
in every direction without any sign of civilization as we continued South, for days on end.
"Best moment?
The moment
the plane left
after being
dropped on
the edge of
the Ronne Ice
shelf, and
just realizing
the magnitude
of the
undertaking"
It seems from what I have read so far there was a lot of reflection on
those that had travelled to the pole before you - what part did that
history play? Having Nigel Watson on the expedition meant we were
able to draw on the endless Antarctic History.
Best moment? The moment the plane left after being dropped on the
edge of the Ronne Ice shelf, and just realizing the magnitude of the
undertaking. Once the plane left it was eerily silent and we knew we
were a long way from anywhere – this was it, the only way back was
South to the pole.
Worst moment? I’m not sure there was a specific moment. There were
some hard days when you were tired physically and mentally. The sled
in certain snow conditions would make it hard sometimes but despite
how hard it was you know that if you get one ski in front of the other
eventually we’ll make camp and rest. I guess just remembering to take it
day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute.
What was the coldest day? The temperature ranged over the trip, but
one thing was constant and that was it never went above 0 degrees.
I’d say over the entire expedition it would have averaged around -20
degrees, without taking wind into account. Once we climbed up onto the
Polar Plateau (2800m) it was really cold, getting closer to the -30 mark.
Ever felt like giving up? Some days you’re broken and every step hurts
and camp can’t come quick enough. I never felt like giving up, although
at one point I had a realization of how far there was to go. We were
3 weeks into the expedition, all tired and we were understanding our
timeline to the pole and I realized we still had a month out there. It was a
humbling moment of how far the team had to travel, and what laid ahead.
Did you learn anything about yourself that you didn’t know before?
The biggest learning for me was how much of a privilege it is to be out
there in the environment, battling the elements with just the food and
equipment you can carry, on a pretty massive undertaking. And how far
you can get by breaking it down and focusing on the task in front of you
— basically of taking it day by day, step by step.
Affter having done the trip, what advice would you give yourself? I’d
bring less stuff… Everything that goes in the sled has to be carried so a
minimalistic approach is best. I’d pack more food — I dropped 12kgs in
50days and when you’re only 83kgs at the start, that’s a lot. And that it’s
not a race, take your time and enjoy the journey.
Arriving by plane on the edge of the Ronne Ice shelf & the Antarctic continent was
a daunting moment.
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